Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense ex 'Big & Pink'

Giant lily, Himalayan lily

$20.00

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Seedlings from our Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense 'Big & Pink' which is one of two pink Cardiocrinums known to exist. We have the other one as well. These are hand-pollinated seedlings of this amazing and extremely rare plant and we expect them to be pink as well. They are probably a few years from flowering. One nursery person we know of was quite incensed that we would be selling these as pink saying "How do you know that they won't be white?" to which we replied "We don't but we don't know that they won't be red either." It is the first color break in the genus and there is no precedent to make assumptions other than best guesses and this is our best guess. We had two bulbs flower from this crop this summer and they were pretty darned pink. One came very close to the parent and the other was a notch behind but still way better than anything else out there so we are greatly encouraged. We can't wait seven years for these to flower to see what degree of pink - or not - they will be because the main bulb dies and we start over with offsets and seed. These do produce offsets so even though the bulb dies after blooming, you end up with more bulbs than you started with. This is a plant of temperate climates in China and the Himalayas and likes a lightly shaded, cool and moist situation. These are not planted deep like typical lilies but shallow and will often have their noses above ground as they get mature. We mulch these in winter with a blanket of dairy manure as they are a bit piggy. Oh, and that nursery person who was concerned about our ethics? She ordered one. Plant so the tip of the bulb is exposed and mulch well to keep winter freeze away from the bulb.

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Plant Type

  • Perennial / Bulb

Mature Size

8'-14'

Hardiness Zones

  • Zone 7a (0 °F)
  • Zone 7b (5 °F)
  • Zone 8a (10 °F)
  • Zone 8b (15 °F)
  • Zone 9a (20 °F)
  • Zone 9b (25 °F)

Sun Exposure

  • Shade
  • Part Shade - Part Sun

Water Needs

  • Moist

Bloom Time

  • Summer

$20.00